Monday, February 16, 2015

Watching the
Tri-C Community come together evoked a great feeling in my heart today. It began with listening to the nonsense
babble of one year olds in church. They
may be part of the same day care or just think they know the other kids they
see in church most Sunday mornings. Then
as services began it became clear that the third grade students were going to
be participants in the celebration. Two
little girls raised their voices along with the adult song leader as mass
began. Then two little boys read the
readings for the day. After several
others read the prayer petitions they then took up the offertory collection and
brought up the offerings to the priest.
This brings me great hope for our rural community. These are the sounds and actions of a growing
energetic community.

Another set
of actions and noise has been planned for several weeks. Tragedy took a nine month olds life. The parents, former community members, faced
mounting medical bills. The Tri-C
Community began to talk and plan. All service
organizations such as the American Legion Post #464 and its auxiliaries, the
Tri-C Volunteer Fire Department, the Knights of Columbus, the St. Ann’s Alter
Society, the service organizations of Jefferson C-123 School and other local
leaders who brought the energy and motivation to the planning table set in
motion what was needed for a fundraiser.

On February
15, 2015 the Tri-C Community shined. A
fish and chicken dinner was served for a free will donation. The ladies of the St. Ann’s Alter Society
provided desserts. Donated desserts,
unused, at the meal became part of the auction beginning at 2:30 pm. Three local auctioneers shared the auction
duties as a single clerk occasionally had to ask “number please. Loads of fire wood, a donated trailer, seed
corn, and soybean seed along with craft items and certificate for bakery goods
were among the items donated to this fundraiser. Occasionally an item sold more than once as
the buyer donated it back to the auction.

In looking at
this small rural community one can sometimes ask where do you find volunteers
who can keep up with a steady stream of hungry people by frying fish and
chicken? Who was responsible for
providing roasters of baked beans and spicy potatoes? Who made the multiple bowls of cold slaw? FFA shirts were very visible as students wove
their way between tables served drinks.
These students partnered with younger students with older ones handling
the pitchers of tea, lemonade or water while younger student, representing
other organizations, carried cups. Some
of these students shared other duties such as knowing the PA system of
Tri-Meadows. Where the event took place. The microphone lost power. A youth in an FFA shirt arrive from somewhere
in the back with new batteries.

Does this rural
area hold three auctioneers or someone who knows an auctioneer who will spend
their Sunday afternoon “crying” a benefit auction? Several of the FFA shirts took up duties at
the auction. They knew how to deliver sale items or certificates to
buyers. They provided runner duties
taking sale tickets to the auction pay table.
They held up items so that all could see what was being offered. Bidders bided their time waiting for items
they wished to purchase.

If one
observed closely it was noted the kitchen was clean and those same people who
fried fish and rustled around serving baked beans and cold slaw now sat quietly
relaxing a bit before the next phase of this Tri-C Community Coming Together
took place. Young men stood in small groups restless and occasionally bidding
on an item, but seemed to be waiting, waiting.
Buckets of soapy water waited in the kitchen for table wipe down. No sooner would the last auction cry “sold”
echo than the cleanup phase would begin.
Those restless young men would make short of hoisting the tables and
chairs onto their storage carriers. Yes the young, middle aged and the senior
citizens of the Tri-C community truly know how to come together to make things
happen. This community knows how to plan
and produce the leaders of tomorrow. Be
it the beginning of the social babble of one year olds in church, the smell of
deep fried fish or chicken, the silent work ethic of school youth or the
auction cry to sell donated items. These
are the energies of the Tri-C Community Coming Together in action.

Conception, Mo. – Conception
Abbey and Tri-C Partners 4 Progress join #GivingTuesday to transform how people
think about and participate in the giving season. Coinciding with the
Thanksgiving holiday and the kickoff of the shopping season, #Giving Tuesday is
a movement to celebrate and provide incentives to give encouraging people to
take collaborative action to improve their local communities by giving back to
the charities and causes they support. Taking place December 2, 2014 – the
Tuesday after Thanksgiving - #Giving Tuesday will connect the power of social
media to create a national moment around the holidays dedicated to giving,
similar to how Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become days that are now
synonymous with holiday shopping.

“#Giving Tuesday shows that if we come together as a
community we can accomplish so much more,” said Fr. Daniel Petsche, O.S.B.,
Conception Abbey Prior/Alumni Director and Tri-C Partners 4 Progress
co-convener. “As we prepare for the
Advent season and the birth of Christ, what better way to show the love for one
another during this time of year by helping improve our local communities.”

#Giving Tuesday happens all day nationwide, but Conception
Abbey is hosting an event Tuesday, December 2 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The public
is invited to attend.

#GivingTuesday

Tuesday, December 2

6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Conception Abbey, Conception, MO – St. Raphael Hall

Bring
an item to donate to a family in need (adult & children’s clothing,
non-perishable food item, cash).

Help
decorate a Christmas tree that will be given to our adopted families.

Help
us gift wrap donated items.

Come
send a Christmas card to those alone or without family during the holiday
season.

The Bennet Book, Card and Gift Shop will be open. Cookies
and cocoa will be provided. We’ll also have music to get you in the spirit of
the season. If you can’t join us for the event you can still support us and our
partners throughout the year.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

September 28, 2014 has come and gone. Fall was wonderful. Providing days of Indian summer weather for
putting the garden and herb beds to rest for the winter. October was filled with harvest and getting
ready for winter. As the time flew past
I check to see if local photo place could print the digital copy of the 2014 Tri-C
Community Celebration. They could not
print a copy at WalMart or WalGreen or HyVee which are the local options. I finally got a lead on a small printing shop
that could print an 11 X 17 photo for those who wanted a printed copy.

Following are some of the comments heard by community
members: Well organized event. All the organizations worked to make the
event happen. Pleasant enjoyable afternoon.
Not long enough. Registration
went well. Signage was well developed to
help people find their way around. Map and
program available made people feel welcome and helped coordinate those involved
in getting their part of the event staged and ready. Golf cart transportation between events and
parking were much appreciated. Next year have it on grass too. The Abbey facilities were excellent. Games were all in a grassy area with picnic
tables for eating within sight of the games so that children race and played in
sight of watchful parents and grandparents.

Fr. Abbot Gregory of the Conception Abbey and Sr. Rita Clare
of the Benedictine Convent of Perpetual Adoration served as Grand Marshals of
the Lollipop Parade sponsored by the Tri-C Community Betterment group. Tri-C American Legion Post #464 provided the
honor guard, Tri-C volunteer fire department provided the escort for the Grand
Marshals and the Jefferson C-123 Choir lead the pledge and sang the National
Anthem. Judy Henggeler sang “Farmwife
from Conception” accompanied by Dutch Luke and Bob Fannon.

Fr. Paul was raised towards the heavens by Darrell Schieber
in his boom truck to take the photo.
Shane Walker Auctioneer loaned Fr. Paul his hands free microphone so
that Fr. Paul could direct the arrangement of the persons in the photo. Shane was also the volunteer MC announcing the
parade participants. Some estimate there
are over 500 people in this photo.

Br. Cyprian gave a tour of the Abbey Basilica and its
art.

The Tri-C Partners 4 Progress participated in the parade and
provided a booth with old class photos from the Clyde school. They also had a 1906 parish census and a 1910
census that might help indicate if certain people were possibly in the 1914
photo. I found my grandfather. A large print of the 1914 photo was available
and several people identified people they knew. Sr. Wilmarie has identified the
four Sisters from the Benedictine Convent of Perpetual Adoration at Clyde who are
in the 1914 photo.

Tri-C Community Coalition, St. Columba Parish groups and
Jefferson C-123 organizations provided games of bingo, baseball, bounce house,
dunk tank etc. Knight of Columbus cooked
up their now famous pork loin and hamburger picnic.

Fun was had by all.

Now the question becomes:
How do we record this event and how do we top this event in 2015? Any suggestions please leave a comment on
this blog.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

September 28, 2014.
Tri-C Community Celebration. 100+
years of Community, Education and Faith.

Be there.

In 1914 a community photo was taken. That photo has surfaced and there is an
effort to celebrate community by taking a 100 year photo. There are some 400 people in the 1914 photo
and some 200 of them have been identified by people who remember their grand or
great grandparents. Old photos of ancestors have been resurrected to use in
making comparisons for identifying those in the 1914 photo. Tales are been exchanged, ancestors
personalities and stories are remembered and shared. Come help identify your relatives who helped
build the Tri-C community. Bring old
photos and stories to share. There may
be an oral history booth to collect those remembrances. These would later be
shared on a Tri-C history site.

The Jefferson C123 Educational Foundation reunion, the
Lollipop Parade and the St. Columba parish festival are all to take place to
help celebrate 100+ years of community, education and faith.

The annual Lollipop Parade sponsored by the Tri-C Area
Community Development is being held at 12:30 pm. Participates in the parade should be at the
staging area at 11:30 am near John Paul II formerly JFK on the Conception Abbey
grounds. Viewing of the parade will be
in front of the basilica. Bring a lawn chair.
Lollipops will be handed out by Abe Lincoln to the children
participating in the parade before the parade.
Those who want a lollipop after the photo op see Abe Lincoln aka Jerry
Eckstien.

The 2014 photo is planned for 1:30 pm. Anyone formerly and currently having any
connection to the Tri-C area is encouraged to participate in this event. A digital copy of this photo will be available
free to those who leave contact information by registering at the Jefferson
C-123 Foundation registration table.
Those wanting printed copies will need to get a digital copy and take it to a place that prints photos to get a printed copy. Digital copies are free.

Following the parade and photo take advantage of a picnic,
under the pines, of grill hamburgers or tenderloin provided by the local
Knights of Columbus for a free will donation. Profits will be shared by the
Jefferson C-123 Foundation, Knights of Columbus and American Legion. (All of these
groups provide scholarships to the local Jefferson C-123 students.)

A tour of the Immaculate Conception Basilica will be
available after the photo event. The art
is this church is museum worthy. Many of
us have lived here and not appreciated the treasures among us.

American Legion 464 members will be available to help with
parking and answer questions. Golf cart transportation to and from parking
areas will be available.

St. Columba parish festival will consist of games and other
entertainment provided by community organizations. Tickets for these activities will be
available at individual booths. A bounce house will be available to kids with extra energy.

Friday, June 27, 2014

Tri-C Community Celebration --- September 28, 2014
The photo below was taken 100 years ago in 1914 at the Conception Abbey Basilica of Tri-C area community members.
A new photo is planned for September 28, 2014 as a celebration of community. This will take place along with the Parish Festival, the Jefferson School Reunion and the Tri-C Community Betterment Lollipop Parade. There are 400+ people in 1914 photo. Some could be your relatives. This photo has made an appearance at a number of events and is on the letter sent to all alumni of Jefferson C-123. Some of the people have been identified. The Jefferson Educational Foundation group needs your help to identify others in this photo.
The photo will appear at the Tri-C Community Celebration. Come see if you can help identify others and participate in this historical photo opportunity and celebration. More details will follow.

Sunday, April 27, 2014

April 26, 2014 was a wonderful day for the Community Action
Renewal Team (CART) community wide cleanup.
CART is an action team of the Tri-C Partners 4 Progress. This action
team plans, organizes and implements the annual community cleanup. Students
from Jefferson C-123 School help man the two dumpsters arranged by CART. CART members work with the students to pack
the dumpsters as full as possible with trash brought in by community
members. There is a dumpster placed near
the American Legion building in Conception Jct. and one at the south end of
Clyde near Dan’s Welding. Both of these
town’s government agencies give a donation to support this project. Don McCrary also helps by providing trailers
for metal and electronics recyclables.
Those contributing trash as encouraged to give a small donation for the
convenience of this yearly service.